Regional Focus: Data-Driven Retail Transformation in Latin America

Latin America’s retail sector is undergoing a profound transformation, fueled by the rapid growth of digital commerce, evolving consumer expectations, and the urgent need for data-driven decision-making. As global and regional brands seek to capture new growth in this dynamic market, the ability to unify data, personalize experiences, and launch innovative business models—such as retail media networks—has become a defining competitive advantage. Yet, Latin American retailers face unique challenges: fragmented infrastructure, regulatory complexity, and organizational silos that can impede progress. Publicis Sapient, in partnership with Adobe, is helping retailers across the region overcome these barriers and unlock profitable, sustainable growth.

The State of Data Maturity in Latin American Retail

Retailers in Latin America, like their global peers, generate vast amounts of data every hour—from online browsing and in-store transactions to loyalty programs and supply chain movements. However, much of this data remains fragmented and underutilized. Many organizations are still in the early stages of data maturity, using analytics primarily for basic marketing activities such as detecting product preferences or predicting customer intent. Only a minority are leveraging advanced analytics to create 360-degree customer views, predict life events, or optimize inventory and returns.

This gap is compounded by several region-specific factors:

Despite these hurdles, Latin American retailers are acutely aware of the stakes. The region’s digital commerce market is expanding rapidly, and consumer expectations for seamless, personalized experiences are rising just as quickly. Retailers that can break down silos and unify their data are poised to capture outsized value.

Omnichannel Integration: Meeting the Latin American Consumer Where They Are

The convergence of digital and physical retail is particularly pronounced in Latin America, where mobile adoption is high and consumers expect to move fluidly between online and offline channels. Yet, omnichannel integration remains a work in progress for many retailers. Disconnected systems across e-commerce, loyalty, and in-store operations often result in incomplete customer views and missed opportunities for engagement.

A unified Customer Data Platform (CDP), such as Adobe Experience Platform, is essential for bridging these gaps. By centralizing first-, second-, and third-party data in real time, retailers can:

AI Adoption: From Experimentation to Business Impact

While many Latin American retailers are experimenting with AI—using it for product recommendations, demand forecasting, or automated marketing—few have operationalized these capabilities at scale. The most common barriers include a shortage of AI skills, lack of clear ROI, and challenges in integrating AI-driven insights into day-to-day business processes.

Publicis Sapient’s approach addresses these challenges head-on:

Real-World Impact: LATAM Retailers Leading the Way

Retailers in Latin America who have embraced unified data and AI-driven transformation are already seeing tangible results. For example, a leading regional retailer partnered with Publicis Sapient to develop a scalable CDP that unified shopper data across online and offline channels. This platform became the foundation for their transformation strategy, enabling personalized marketing, smarter segmentation, and more effective resource allocation. The result: increased customer engagement, higher conversion rates, and a future-ready data architecture.

Another regional leader leveraged Adobe Experience Platform to achieve a 360-degree customer view, rapidly scaling use cases and increasing campaign audience size by up to 400%. These successes demonstrate that, despite infrastructure and regulatory challenges, Latin American retailers can achieve world-class outcomes with the right strategy and technology.

Launching Retail Media Networks: Monetizing First-Party Data

As third-party cookies disappear and privacy regulations tighten, first-party data has become a strategic asset. Latin American retailers are now monetizing their data by launching Retail Media Networks (RMNs)—platforms that allow brands to target shoppers with relevant ads across digital and physical properties. Publicis Sapient has helped major grocers and retailers in the region build custom RMNs that:

Practical Steps for Overcoming Silos and Driving Profitable Growth

To accelerate data-driven transformation and unlock profitable growth, Latin American retailers should:

  1. Assess and improve data quality: Invest in data cleansing and standardization before layering on advanced analytics or AI.
  2. Centralize data on modern platforms: Implement cloud-based CDPs to create a single source of truth for customer, product, and operational data.
  3. Adopt a composable, flexible architecture: Move away from legacy systems to enable real-time data flow and rapid innovation.
  4. Foster cross-functional collaboration: Break down organizational silos and democratize data access across teams.
  5. Embed data governance and privacy by design: Assign data owners, implement data catalogs, and ensure compliance with evolving regulations.
  6. Leverage advanced analytics and AI: Use predictive models to personalize experiences, optimize operations, and uncover new revenue streams.
  7. Prioritize quick wins and continuous improvement: Identify immediate opportunities to improve personalization, inventory accuracy, or fulfillment speed, and adopt a test-and-learn mindset.

Why Publicis Sapient and Adobe?

With decades of experience in digital business transformation and deep expertise in retail, Publicis Sapient combines strategic vision, technology implementation, and data science to deliver measurable results. Our partnership with Adobe—recognized as Partner of the Year seven times—ensures that Latin American retailers benefit from industry-leading cloud data solutions, AI-driven insights, and a relentless focus on customer outcomes.

Ready to unlock the full value of your retail data and drive profitable growth in Latin America? Connect with Publicis Sapient to start your transformation journey today.